ArticleThe Journal of infection2007
Emergency departments (EDs) in the United Kingdom (UK) are not prepared for emerging biological threats and bioterrorism.
Article in The Journal of infection, 2007. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 29 citations in OpenAlex.
- A healthy degree of suspicion: A discussion of the implementation of transmission based precautions in the emergency department.Australasian emergency nursing journal : AENJ · 2016Pooled it
- Infection control in the management of highly pathogenic infectious diseases: consensus of the European Network of Infectious Disease.The Lancet. Infectious diseases · 2009Guideline
- Pattern of bioterrorism in ancient times: lessons to be learned from the microbial and toxicological aspects.Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift (1946) · 2024Article
- The Utility of Preliminary Patient Evaluation in a Febrile Respiratory Infectious Disease Unit outside the Emergency Department.Journal of Korean medical science · 2017Article
- Airborne pathogen isolation capability in emergency departments of US children's hospitals.American journal of infection control · 2016Article
- Emergency planning and management in health care: priority research topics.Health systems (Basingstoke, England) · 2014Article
- Biowarfare and bioterrorism.Critical care clinics · 2013Review
- Article
- Health care workers' perceptions of respiratory and gastrointestinal algorithms for patient management in emergency care settings.American journal of infection control · 2009Article
- Intervals before tuberculosis diagnosis and isolation at a regional hospital in Taiwan.Journal of the Formosan Medical Association = Taiwan yi zhi · 2007Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo assess the preparedness of emergency departments (EDs) in the United Kingdom (UK) for the management of potential biological incidents.
methodsWe telephoned all hospitals in the UK listed as having a major ED. We surveyed their ED facilities and procedures for managing patients with infectious diseases. We determined how many of the EDs had an isolation room available and, if present, whether this had an independent ventilation system and separate access from outside the ED. In addition, we determined how many of the EDs would isolate patients with suspected cases of chickenpox, tuberculosis (TB), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and other suspicious infections.
resultsWe obtained complete data from 203 (79%) of the 257 hospitals approached. Only 49 (24%) of these hospitals had isolation facilities available in the ED. Of these 49 EDs, 30 (61%) reported an independent ventilation system and 18 (37%) reported a separate access from outside the ED. The majority of EDs would isolate patients with potential infectious diseases, however, 47 (23%) would not isolate patients with suspected chickenpox, 37 (18%) EDS would not isolate patients with suspected TB, 12 (6%) EDS would not isolate patients with suspected SARS and 55 (27%) EDS would not isolate patients with other suspicious infections.
conclusionEDs in the UK are not prepared for emerging biological threats and bioterrorism. With current facilities and procedures it is highly likely that an infectious agent will spread to staff and other patients in any future biological incident.
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